Blood supply: Héma-Québec has the situation under control

Montréal, November 29, 2012—Héma-Québec is able to meet the needs of all Québec hospitals. Its blood collection operations and supply to hospitals are under control. All of the blood products currently available to hospitals are safe.

Tests on quarantined products will continue over the next few days. Based on these results, safe products will be put back into circulation and the others will be destroyed.

Héma-Québec has taken the necessary measures to meet the needs of hospitals. There is therefore no current shortage of blood.

We would also like to stress that patients who recently received transfusions all received products that were deemed safe, and there is no risk to their health.

As a precautionary measure, Héma-Québec asked Québec hospitals to temporarily quarantine certain blood products Wednesday night due to microscopic punctures found on a few blood bags.